'Non-jewish and christian': Perceived discrimination and social distance among fsu migrants in israel

This paper focuses on a specific group of post-1989 Former Soviet Union (FSU) migrants in Israel, those who prefer to keep their Christian religion in a country with an explicitly Jewish character. Specifically, we focus on (1) immigrants' perceptions of state and institutional discrimination against non- Jewish immigrants, and (2) immigrants' construction of social distance and social boundaries across ethno-cultural groups. Our findings suggest that Christian immigrants challenge the hegemonic definition of who is a Jew, strongly contest the Israeli ethno-national regime of incorporation that discriminates against non-Jewish citizens, and advance claims for equal rights. Religion becomes the most important marker for identity construction. Shared national background (country of origin) does not necessarily guarantee solidarity and cordial social relations between immigrants.